Sam Returns
by RMNicki
Summary: When Sadie is 1 yr. and 3 months, Sam is deployed to Afghanistan temporarily to help his former team, and is due to return permanently by Christmas. 8 months later, Jules's birthday comes around and she gets a surprise she'll never forget. Then, she returns the favor to her husband with a little gift of her own...that will change their and Sadie's lives for the next 18 years.


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Hey guys, so before hand I planned on this being a one-shot, but based on the reviews and what you guys prefer will decide how it plays out.  
I'm just being careful, because I like this story and don't want it to be overkill, so just let me know!**

**Disclaimer:  
I do not own Flashpoint or any of it's characters in any way.  
But, 'Sam Returns' is my writing and my words and should not be used without my permission!**

**Enjoy!  
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**Jules P.O.V**  
Sam had been deployed about 8 months ago to Afghanistan.  
He'd been granted temporary leave from the SRU Team 3 and was allowed to return to his position on the team when he came back.  
Sadie had been 1 year and 3 months old, and Sam had been less than happy to go, but his former team had needed him, and Sam and I both understood it when it came to a powerful sense of duty, especially when it came to friends. So, I hadn't argued with him…too extensively.

I had sent videos of Sadie and I to him quite often, when I knew he would be able to retrieve them. At other times, it was just letters. I missed my husband. Sure, I was an independent woman, but that didn't mean I didn't miss him with all my heart. He'd been gone for about 8 months. It was like a piece of me was missing, or…separated from me by hundreds of miles. He'd been able to visit 4 months ago, and when he left, the feeling of partial emptiness returned. But, having Sadie was distraction enough of course, and beginning potty training was interesting to say the least.  
Sam was due to return this Christmas, which was…3 months away…which complicated some things that had come up recently, but, the point was…he was coming home to us, and this time, he was staying. I sighed, and jumped when our doorbell rang.  
_Oh, no, no, no…_I thought, and listened tensely for a few seconds and sighed in relief when I didn't hear Sadie begin to cry upstairs. I made my way across the living room quickly, and opened the door.  
It was a delivery guy.  
"Julianna Callaghan?" He asked.  
"Uh, yes." I replied.  
He handed me a small package, and I signed for it, before he gave me a quiet, polite goodbye.

"He's quiet now." I said sarcastically to myself, then cringed inwardly when I realized I hadn't shut the door all the way.  
I sighed, and sat down in one of the armchairs to open the package, I hadn't been expecting.  
I looked at the return address and a small butterfly of excitement stirred in my stomach as I recognized the familiar blank return address space. The soldiers out over-seas weren't allowed to give away their station addresses due to the threat of any of the packages being taken by enemy troops…  
It was from Sam.  
I smiled, and opened the package. There was a white envelope on the top, and I picked it up and opened it, _  
My dearest Julianna Braddock,  
_(He always began his letters like that, and it never failed to make me smile.)

_There's not a day out here that I don't think about you and Sadie. And, I am beyond excited to see you this Christmas. It seems so far away, and yet so close. I count down the days and am happy to report there are only 79 more to go.  
_(I smiled and laughed at his exuberance, and his use of the word, 'report.')

_I'm sorry that I don't have much time to write and this is all I can give you. I'm more than sorry that I can't be there for your birthday, but remember that I am always thinking about you, and that you and our beautiful daughter are the reason I find the strength to get up in the morning.  
I have to tell you though, based on where I am now,  
There is absolutely a place I would rather be.  
I love you.  
Give Sadie my love.  
-Sam_

I hadn't realized that I had tears in my eyes until one dropped to the page and smeared the ink slightly. Under the letter, resided a black rectangular box, and I had a pretty good idea of what it was.  
I opened it, and covered my mouth as more tears filled my eyes, inside was a simple necklace chain with 3 letters dangling together, _S, J, S.  
_I clasped the necklace around my neck, and let my fingers linger there for a few seconds.  
_Oh Sam, come home to us soon. Safe._

I heard Sadie upstairs and it shook me from my temporary reverie, and fixed her a sippie, before running up and taking her out of her crib. I changed her diaper, much to her displeasure, and held her in my arms. I pulled out a picture of Sam, and handed it to her and she smiled brightly as always,  
"Daddy." She whispered.  
"Daddy told me to tell you he loved you." I said gently back.  
"Daddy." She giggled, and I laughed and kissed her head.

**The Team P.O.V – 2 days later.**

The team, or…what _had been_ the team, gathered at the Goose, except for Jules. She didn't even know they were there. They sat in anticipation until 4 o'clock and just on cue, Sam walked in, in full fatigues.

Sarge, Ed, Spike, Wordy and Leah met him half way.  
"Samtastic returns!" Spike said, wrapping his arm around Sam's shoulders, and Wordy punched him lightly in the shoulder.  
"Hey Spike." He grinned. "Wordy."  
"It's good to have you back, Sam." Sarge smiled, admiringly in his former team-mates direction.  
"It's good to be back, Greg." He smiled. The name still felt foreign on his tongue after calling Greg, _Sarge _or_ Boss_ for all those years.  
Ed embraced him and Leah mussed up his hair.  
"Jules doesn't know?" He asked, smiling, his eyes twinkled with mischief.  
"She has no idea." Greg said, "I made sure of it, she'll be here at 6. It gives us some time to set up."  
"If she kills us when she finds out, we're throwing you in front."  
Sam laughed, "Thanks."  
"You weren't expecting any different, right?" Leah asked, innocently.  
Sam shook his head, a smile dancing at his lips,  
"Waiting to see her must be hell." Greg said.  
Sam nodded, looking miserable suddenly, "Definitely, but I'm hoping this makes up for it. How is Sadie?"  
"Well…" Wordy laughed, "You returned just in time for the beginning of the potty-training, and fit throwing stage."

Sam laughed, "I'll take them either way I can get them."

**Jules P.O.V – (The same day)**

The team was practically forcing me into a party at the café; Sam and I's first date had been at as well as our…break up, I winced internally at the painful memory. But, distracted myself with my displeasure of having a party to attend. I didn't like parties or having the attention on me. But, I figured having Sadie in my arms would help a little, and these guys were my family...  
I dressed in a simple, but loose blue and white flower printed sundress. Then, I curled my hair in it's usual style and put on my make-up.  
I sighed, and smiled in the mirror when I heard Sadie wail in the other room from her crib. I walked into her bedroom and picked her up,  
"Hey baby." I smiled.  
_"Mommy." _She murmured sleepily, and wrapped her small arms around my neck. I chuckled, and bounced her and hummed until she lulled back to sleep. I thought about it for a second, and grabbed one of her little, simple blue dresses and white sandals before carrying her out to the car, and gently sitting her in her seat, with her sippy cup and blanket. I thought for a second, then remembered, _her diaper bag!_ I ran back in and grabbed it, keeping an eye on her out the window, before running back out… in the door frame, I stopped.  
_Shoes! _– Again, I ran back in and slipped white flip flops on._  
_ Once more, I headed back out, thinking carefully to make sure I had everything I needed.  
When, my car door shut; Sadie woke for a moment, but as soon as the car had started, and I had put her favorite lullaby CD in, she fell asleep again.

I drove to the familiar café and climbed out of the car before walking to Sadie's side. She had woken somewhere along the ride, and I smiled down at her.  
"How long have you been awake?" I murmured, before picking her up. I walked over to the passenger side and lay her in the passenger seat. I pulled out her dress and shoes and sighed when I realized her diaper was full again. I took her diaper off and wiped her clean. She turned to the side to make a run for it and I caught her and put her back on her back. Her lip quivered, and tears welled in her eyes. I smiled down at her, and redressed her quickly before pulling her dress over her head, and buttoning her up. I had become a professional at changing her quickly. I set her up, and put her shoes on.  
"Jules! Everything alright?" Leah asked from the door.  
"Yeah! Just changing Sadie!"  
Sadie began to cry as I attended to her hair and gave her pig-tails with some white bows to match her shoes. Then, I picked her up and she lay her head against my shoulder, and quieted a few seconds later as I walked up to the café door where I was met by the team.  
"We _were_ going to go with surprising you, but we weren't sure if Sadie would appreciate that." Greg said.  
"Or if whoever was closest would get punched." Wordy added, hugging me then paused and pulled back, wide eyed.  
I gave him a pleading look, knowing he had felt my tell-tale swollen belly.  
He gave me a look then looked away as if nothing had happened and I sighed.  
Then I laughed, covering up the moment that had taken place between Wordy and I, "Thank you?"  
They insisted that I opened gifts first, which was different…but I didn't put much thought to it.  
"I told you guys not to get me anything." I sighed, as I unwrapped a cute pair of earrings from Wordy.  
"Well, We _could_ send him back."  
_Him?_  
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "What?" I asked.  
Wordy reached out and I handed Sadie to him in confusion,  
"What's going o-"  
I jumped as I was cut off by Sadie screaming,  
"_Daddy!"  
_I froze, and my eyes widened as I felt a very familiar pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, and lips press to the side of my neck a few inches below my ear.  
"Breathe Jules." Came his soft voice, his lips close to my ear.  
"Oh my God." I choked, and he let me turn in his arms, and I observed his beautiful face and his body which was dressed in his fatigues. It was a perfect moment.  
I pressed my hands to my lips,  
"Sam!" I cried, and wrapped my arms around his waist, and buried my face in his shoulder, and began to cry, much to my embarrassment.  
"Happy Birthday." He said gently in my ear.  
"I'm going to kill you." I whispered through my tears, then turned to face the team, "_All _of you."  
They smiled, and Sadie squealed again as she squirmed in Wordy's arms, Sam walked over and she reached out towards him,  
"Daddy!" She said, and he picked her up,  
"Sadie!" He replied, and she giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
Sam walked back over to me, and leaned down to press his lips to mine.  
"Me!" Sadie pouted, and I laughed against his lips as he pulled back.  
He pecked her on the lips then pressed his lips to her forehead, and she smiled warmly again.  
I wiped tears from my cheeks.  
Seeing Sam with Sadie again brought up an overwhelming happiness in me that was hard to explain. I turned back to the team, and saw that Spike and Ed had been taking pictures while Wordy, Greg, and Leah watched in silent happiness.  
"When?" I whispered.  
"He's only been here for about three hours, Jules. If he'd been here any longer, we wouldn't have been able to make him wait." Leah replied, smiling.  
"Definitely not." Sam replied, from behind me, causing the team to laugh.  
"Thank you." I whispered.  
"That's not all Jules." Wordy said, and I looked over to him, confused for the second time that night.  
"What else could there be?" I asked, shocked.  
"He's not going back." Spike smiled, and I froze yet again, then spun back around to look at Sam.  
"I got early release." He smiled.  
Again, tears filled my eyes, and I heard the click of a camera from my side again.  
"Oh Sam…" I whispered as he embraced Sadie and I again.  
Then he froze, and I swallowed. He'd felt it too.  
He handed Sadie to Ed, and the team watched in slight confusion as he reached forward, and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me to him, so that I couldn't move away.  
He ran his hand over my swollen belly.  
The room was quiet for a few seconds, and I met Sam's gaze, his eyes were wide like a deer caught in the head lights.  
"You're…are you-"  
"Pregnant?" I whispered, finishing his sentence, "Yes. I'm four months along."  
"When we…When I visited four months ago?" He stuttered, and I nodded gleefully.  
"Geezus…" Greg whispered in the background.  
"I was going to tell you over the phone, but…"  
"Oh my God." He whispered, and in a familiar sense of déjà vu, I reached down and pressed my hand over his.  
Sam's breath hitched, "What is it?"  
I smiled, "A baby boy."  
The team clapped, as Sam leaned down and kissed me again,  
"Good. Our home needed to be leveled out a little bit. Don't know what I would have done with three girls." He said, his voice still slightly weak with shock.  
I laughed, and landed a playful hit to his stomach.  
"Hitting, bad!" Sadie proclaimed, and I laughed yet again,  
"You're right, Sadie, it is." I agreed, and she reached towards me from Ed's arms, nearly falling, I made it across the few feet and grabbed her mid-fall,  
"Careful Baby." I said, and she gave me a cheeky smile.  
I shook my head and Sam placed his arm around my shoulder,  
"Congratulations you two." Greg said.  
"That sounds familiar." Sam smiled, before placing another kiss to my lips, and a wave of heat passed through me, and I could see by the look in his eyes, that he felt it too.  
"Oh, get a room you two!" Spike said.  
"Thinking about it." Sam said, never leaving my eyes.  
I blushed furiously and looked away, and he laughed.  
He leaned down and whispered in my ear,  
"But, I can wait till tonight."

**Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think! One-shot or no?**

-RMNicki-  
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